760: Bradley Steyn | Undercover with Mandela's Spies Part One

Dec 6, 2022

In this captivating discussion, Bradley Steyn, an expert on risk mitigation and racial injustice, shares his gripping experiences as a double agent during Apartheid in South Africa. He reflects on his traumatic childhood, including witnessing the horrific Strijdom Square massacre. Steyn recounts his recruitment by the oppressive regime and the moral complexities of his undercover work for the anti-Apartheid movement. His journey through trauma and identity in a divided society offers profound insights into the human experience amidst conflict.

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ANECDOTE

Strijdom Square Massacre

Steyn witnessed the Strijdom Square massacre, where Barend Hendrik Strydom shot numerous people.
He tried to help a victim, "Kind Eyes", but Strydom shot him as well.

INSIGHT

Racism is Taught

Barend Hendrik Strydom's father was a member of the AWB, a militant right-wing organization.
This upbringing shaped Strydom's racist views and actions.

ANECDOTE

Family Whistle

Steyn's mother found him at the scene of the massacre using a family whistle.
The whistle signaled relief and safety amidst the chaos.

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Bradley Steyn (@bradley_steyn_) is an expert on risk mitigation, operational support, and racial injustice. He is the co-author of Undercover with Mandela's Spies: The Story of the Boy Who Crossed the Square, a memoir of his time as a double agent working for Nelson Mandela during the dying days of South African Apartheid. [This is part one of a two-part episode. Keep an eye out for part two later this week!]

What We Discuss with Bradley Steyn:

Bradley shares his observations as a white kid growing up in Apartheid-era South Africa.
How, as a teenager, Bradley bore witness to the brutal Strijdom Square massacre, in which white supremacist Barend Hendrik Strydom calmly took the lives of eight People of Color and injured 16 with a 9mm pistol.
The PTSD, nightmares, anger issues, and emotional distress Bradley was forced to cope with in the aftermath of this horrific experience — and still deals with more than three decades later.
How Bradley was recruited for undercover duty by the feared security police of the Apartheid government while working as a bouncer at a Pretoria gay bar.
What led to Bradley's dedication to the anti-Apartheid struggle and his service as a deep cover double agent within the Department of Intelligence and Security under the directive of Chris Hani's and Nelson Mandela's paramilitary wing, uMkhonto weSizwe.
And much more...

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/760

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Miss our two-part conversation with ex-Al-Qaeda spy Aimen Dean? Catch up by starting with episode 383: Aimen Dean | Nine Lives of a Spy Inside Al-Qaeda Part One here!

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